Fisks Gateway issue 81

The property & lifestyle magazine brought to you by FISKS / Issue 81

INSIDE THIS ISSUE The benefits of downsizing Sell with our drone photography Money saving holiday tips Benfleet new builds open home on Saturday 14th August This month’s properties

CONTENTS THE BENEFITS OF DOWNSIZING We take a look at the benefits of downsizing and help you decide if it’s right for you.

SELL WITH OUR DRONE PHOTOGRAPHY Up and down the country, more and more people are selling their property using drones. We take a closer look inside the world of drone photography.

MONEY SAVING HOLIDAY TIPS As overseas holidays begin to restart, we give you some money saving tips to make that overdue holiday happen sooner and more cost effective.

BENFLEET NEW BUILDS - OPEN HOME ON SATURDAY 14TH AUGUST In case you missed them last month, discover a beautiful collection of spacious one and twobedroom family apartments on the edge of Benfleet.

Welcome to our

magazine We have some exciting news this month, on Saturday 14th of August our Benfleet new builds will have an open home for all to view. Walking around the site last week I can assure you that the build is coming along very nice indeed.

As well as talking you through our Benfleet new builds this month, elsewhere in this issue we take a look at the subject of downsizing and how it can benefit you, selling your home using our drone photography and videography, and give you some money saving holiday tips.

Enjoy!

John Pring FNAEA(Honoured) & MARLA | Director

The benefits of downsizing...

We take a look at the benefits of downsizing and help you decide if it’s right for you.

If you’re asking yourself what downsizing is then you’ve came to the right place. Basically, downsizing is when you buy a smaller home than the one you currently have now. This could be for a number of reasons - maybe your children have moved out and you want to move closer to them, or perhaps you’re struggling to keep up with the bills, or maybe you just want some extra cash for your retirement? Whatever the reason, more and more people are downsizing and finding it beneficial to their lives.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES? Many people think that having a big home is better, but that is not always the case - there is no point in having empty rooms when you can benefit financially from them. Plus, if you’ve had your current home for a long time, the chances are that it has increased in value somewhat and you‘ve paid off your mortgage fully, which means there is a good chance you will have a lot of equity left over to spend on what you want when downsizing. it also means you can buy your new home as a cash buyer, giving you more options and a quicker chain.

Downsizing also means less upkeep, lower bills and more time to do the things you love with the extra cash. If you find yourself downsizing in later life, it means you can choose a property that will be better suited for your needs. If that garden is too difficult for you to keep under control, or those stairs in your home get you panting every time you walk up them, then downsizing is perfect for you, your heath and lifestyle.

Here is a quick downsizing checklist for you:

•

Consider your reasons for downsizing? Is it necessary, is it better for your health and lifestyle and financial situation?

•

Consider where you want to live. Do you want to stay in the same area or move to the seaside closer to family and friends?

•

Consider the type of property you want to buy. Do you want another smaller house, or a luxurious flat, or maybe a cosy bungalow?

•

Consider whether you want to pay off your mortgage fully before you sell your current property.

•

Start donating, selling or getting rid of items you currently own downsizing means you might have to say goodbye to some items you own.

•

Get ready to sell your home - clean, de-clutter and give the whole place a lick of paint if your current paintwork has seen better days.

For more help on this subject, please re-visit some of our older issues of Gateway.

•

This is the MOST important thing on your checklist - reach out to your local estate agents who have local knowledge and expertise to help you get the best price for your property and sell it fast. Without being too obvious, why not contact us at Fisks to give you a help in hand, we have 50+ years of local experience and have offices in Benfleet and Canvey.

Meet the team...

John Pring Director

Simon Pring Director

Ian Carey Sales Manager

Harriet Plampton Sales & Lettings Consultant

Penny Ash Property Manager

Nicola Rattenberry Director’s P.A.

Leanne Wright Administration Manager

Albie Poole Junior Estate Agent

Tina Webster Management Accountant

FISKS.CO.UK

We cover the whole of South Essex.

Contact us for a free valuation on 01268 565555

Kerrie Watts Property Consultant

Ben Nelson Junior Estate Agent

Our Vision & Strategy The residential estate agency market is increasingly populated by large corporations; nevertheless, our independent family-run estate agency continues to succeed and grow a loyal client base, due to our core values, ethos and flexible approach to clients’ requirements.

FEATURED PROPERTIES

WOODLANDS, CATHERINE ROAD £269,995 Two Bedroom Apartment For Sale Open Plan Kitchen/LoungeDiner Master With En-Suite Show Home Condition Allocated Parking Spaces Located On The Impressive Woodlands Development

CALL 01268 565555

FISKS.CO.UK

HOMEFIELDS AVENUE, BENFLEET £365,000 No Onward Chain Jotmans Hall Primary School & Appleton School Catchment Walking Distance To Tarpots Shops & Restaurants Good Condition Throughout Garage

CALL 01268 565555

FEATURED PROPERTIES

CHURCH ROAD, BENFLEET £450,000 Four Bedroom Detached Property Modernized Throughout Ground Floor Cloakroom Four Good sized Bedrooms Family Bathroom Garage And Private Driveway Catchment To Good Schools

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FISKS.CO.UK

SWAN COURT, LONDON ROAD, BENFLEET £180,000 One Bedroom First Floor Over 55’S Apartment Block Modernized Throughout 168 Years Left On Lease Resident Parking Refitted Kitchen And Shower Room Communal Gardens

CALL 01268 565555

Sell with our drone photography...

Up and down the country, more and more people are selling their property using drones. We take a closer look inside the world of drone photography.

Estate agents up and down the country have said that drones are the MOST important new way to market your property since the internet and online portals. By providing a birds eye view of your property it will show off its true potential to those waiting buyers.

WHY USE DRONE PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY TO YOUR SELL PROPERTY? Simply put, using aerial photography and videography to market your property will show waiting buyers its true potential and essentially give it that “WOW” factor when they first set eyes on it online or in that high street window.

Fisks’ aerial photography and videography will help make a property more appealing to potential buyers, especially if it’s a bigger house or a piece of land. If your property has the potential to extent then aerial photography and videography work will immediately let your potential buyer envision what they can do with it - giving you a quicker and much easier sale.

Ground-based photography and videography have huge limits when you want to capture your property, land, garden and surroundings. With our drone work, there is no longer a limit on showing the potential of your property to waiting buyers.

By providing a birds eye view of your property, Fisks’ aerial photography and videography will make your property stand out on property portals such as Zoopla and Rightmove. Not only will your birds eye view give your property that stand out look, it will also generate a sense of awe that ground-based photography and videography simply can’t deliver.

So, increase your chances in getting sold faster by standing out from the competition with Fisks’ aerial photography and videography work.

Why use FISKS? The industry has changed hugely with the development of digital technology - this has created two different styles of agency, the traditional high street agency, and the modern online agency. At Fisks, we believe that the best solution is to be both.

Fisks still do the traditional marketing

Our Ethos & Values

methods that you are comfortable with, such as high street shop locations with

We focus on our clients’ requirements

window displays, applicant mailing lists,

and instructions rather than just doing

text and email facilities, linked offices,

what’s quickest and easiest for us.

portals such as Rightmove, leaflet drops, floor plans, boards and branded cars.

Our comprehensive training program ensures that our staff channels their

These marketing tools have been tried

entrepreneurial spirit and enthusiasm

and tested for many years, but with the

for the benefit of our clients, whilst

ongoing digital revolution we have also

maintaining the professionalism and

embraced change. These new marketing

customer service associated with our

methods come in the form of a digital

brand.

property lifestyle magazine that’s produced in house and emailed to over eight thousand people a month, targeted social media campaigns across all the major platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, 4k video tours of your property for our successful YouTube channel, enhanced portal marketing, and from a customer service point of view, we have vendor log-ins so you can see viewers feedback and offers on your home at any time.

FISKS.CO.UK

At Fisks, we believe we have all your marketing needs covered to get you SOLD!

Landlords: Protect your investment with our full property management and marketing...

Protecting your investment should not be taken lightly, with our full management service you can be sure to get the support you deserve...

Don’t just take our word for it, we have many happy customers...

ARLA - the gold standard professional industry body.

Audited and insured client accounts to protect your money.

Rent guarantee and legal cover - protect yourself with insurance and the increased costs of evicting (subject to status).

Legal hotline - specialised property lawyers helping to answer your questions.

“Happy customer. Very professional service. We had no problems with the sale of our house or the purchase of our new home through Fisks.

Staff very pleasant, would definitely recommend.”

- Mr and Mrs Hall

Inventories - protect your deposit with a professional inventory, including time stamped photographs.

Inspection - allay your fears that your asset is being looked after.

“Fantastic team that pulled out all the stops and helped every step of the way. Friendly pleasant staff.”

Section notices - fully trained and experienced staff can advise and serve the appropriate notice.

- Mrs S Sheavyn

Accurate accounting - from monthly statements to overseas landlords, to expenditure and income, we hold all the information the accountant will need.

... come and put us to the test!

Gas certificates and EPCs - keep your property complying with the law.

Money saving holiday tips...

As overseas holidays begin to restart, we give you some money saving tips to make that overdue holiday happen sooner and more cost effective.

We’ve all been locked up for many months, so getting away and having you dream holiday is well deserved now.

Whether you want to go near or far, our following tips will be sure to help you save money and make your dream holiday come sooner. Remember, we are not out of the woods yet, Covid-19 restrictions are still in place, so make sure you read the gov.uk website for all the latest information on travelling at home or overseas.

BOOK EARLY OR LATE To get the best deals, you have two options. Booking early - booking early means you get the best last minute deals and judge the restrictions based on the current Covid-19 announcements. Booking late - booking late also means you can get great deals but could also mean you’re taking more risks when it comes to government restrictions. Sure, everything is going to plan now, but anything is possible. Fingers crossed we keep heading in the right direction.

BOOK A FREE-TO-CANCEL HOLIDAY/HOTEL Luckily, most places now offer free cancellations due to the ongoing changes of restrictions, but sadly they don’t all offer this. Make sure you can cancel your holiday/hotel free of charge if needed. If you get pinned by the NHS app (because anything is possible) then you don’t want to lose all your hard earned holiday cash.

SAVE, SAVE AND SAVE It’s time to assess your spending properly. Could you cut down on costs of your every day living? Do you have an unused gym membership, or any TV subscription services you don’t use often enough to justify the price you’re paying? Cutting back on memberships or subscriptions is probably the best way to save some extra cash over months.

GET A SAVINGS CARD There are many savings cards available now - a quick Google search will give you many options. Monzo for example is great for saving - you can put saved money aside via an app on your phone, and even round up your transactions to the nearest pound for that little extra savings.

CUT DOWN ON UNNECESSARY SPENDS It comes as no surprise when we say that every day treats like coffees and meal deals in the corner shop can cost a fortune if you’re treating yourself every day. You could save thousands over the course of a year if you decide to make your coffees and lunches at home.

LOAD UP ON CASH BEFOREHAND You should always buy your travel money before you take a trip. And, if paying on plastic whilst you’re away then opt to pay in Euro and not Sterling - rates are often better if you do.

FEATURED PROPERTIES

HOVEFIELDS DRIVE, WICKFORD £500,000 Over 2 Acres Of Land Two Bedroom Detcahed Bungalow Two Double Bedrooms Large L Shaped Lounge Double Conservatory Newly Fitted Bathroom Separate Annexe

CALL 01268 510510

FISKS.CO.UK

COASTGUARD COTTAGES, HAVEN ROAD £240,000 Two Bedroom Terraced House Two Double Bedrooms Close To Sea Wall Easy Access Off Of Canvey No Onward Chain Ideal First Time Buy Or Buy To Let Investment Grade II Listed

CALL 01268 510510

FEATURED PROPERTIES

KINGS PARK, CANVEY ISLAND £210,000 Large 2 Bed Park Home Recently Fully Refurbished To A High Standard Large Rooms With An Open Plan Kitchen Diner Large Walk In Double Length Shower Parking Right Outside With Wheelchair Ramp

CALL 01268 510510

FISKS.CO.UK

LIMBURG ROAD, CANVEY ISLAND £400,000 4 Bedroom Semi-Detached House Large Lounge/Diner En Suite To Master Conservatory Off Street Parking Close To Local Shops, Schools And Main Bus Routes

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FEATURED PROPERTIES

LAMBOURNE, CANVEY ISLAND £425,000 No Onward Chain 4 Bedroom Detached Family Home Ensuite To Master Seperate Dining Room Double Glazed Throughout Attached Garage Off Street For Three Cars

CALL 01268 510510

FISKS.CO.UK

FURTHERWICK ROAD, CANVEY ISLAND £350,000 SSTC Detached Family Home Five Bedrooms Kitchen/Diner Immaculately Presented Opportunity For En-Suite Close To Seafront

CALL 01268 510510

BENFLEET NEW BUILDS - OPEN HOME ON SATURDAY 14TH AUGUST...

Discover a beautiful collection of spacious one and two-bedroom family apartments on the edge of Benfleet.

Benfleet new builds.

As Benfleet’s leading local property experts, Fisks are proud to be the sole agent of the Forest View development.

Fisks has been helping individuals and families find a place to call home in the area for over 50 years.

Forest View is unlike any new-build development you’ve seen before. Built over five floors, the development contains 24 distinctive one and twobedroom apartments. Each one of these spacious new family homes has a completely individual layout. So, while the finish is uniformly excellent throughout, every apartment comes with its own unique charm. Which one will become your future home?

With bright and modern open-plan living areas, high-end Beko kitchens, modern bathrooms, plenty of storage and landscaped communal areas, Forest View is so much more than a collection of apartments; it’s a place to call home.

Located just off Bread and Cheese Hill and within touching distance of South Benfleet’s excellent amenities, Forest View boasts an enviable position. It’s perfect for commuters, first-time buyers, new families or anyone looking to escape the bustle of the city and find a place to call their own.

OVERVIEW Forest View is a privately managed collection of 24 desirable modern apartments located just outside of Benfleet. The development has been thoughtfully designed to maximise space, built to the highest standards and is complemented by immaculately landscaped communal areas.

Each apartment comes with a 10-year warranty and a 199-year lease.

Ground rent is charged at £150 per annum for one-bed apartments and £200 for two-bed apartments, and is subject to a 25-year review based on RPI.

A SPECIFICATION FOR MODERN LIVING We’ve chosen a finish that suits everyone’s tastes and ensures that every apartment is light, airy and ready for you to infuse your personality. Quality is guaranteed at Forest View, and to that end, your new home will benefit from things such as modern, spacious living areas with carpets throughout, high-end kitchen complete with Beko appliances, quartz worktops, Celsius bathroom with a 15-year warranty finished with Italian porcelain tiles and versatile storage space.

To register your interest in the Forest View development please contact Fisks today. Head on over to www.fisks.co.uk to view the full brochure.